Cruze sales stay hot

December 10, 2013

WARREN - More than 140 new-car buyers in Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana counties took delivery in November on a Lordstown-built Chevrolet Cruze, according to statistics released Monday by the Auto Dealers Association of Eastern Ohio.

The number meant a 57 percent jump from the number of Cruzes sold in November of 2012. With only one month left this year, local buyers have purchased 1,579 new Cruzes, up 26 percent over sales at this time last year.

Rounding out the top five new-car models sold locally was Chevrolet Equinox at 98; Ford F-150 pickup truck at 79; Chevrolet Malibu at 78; and Ford Escape at 73.

Sales of new cars continued to rebound locally, with 1,887 new cars sold at area dealerships last month, up 154 from November 2012.

New-car sales were highest at Greenwood Chevrolet in Austintown, which moved 113 new vehicles off its lot last month. That number was up 36 percent from 83 sold last November. Ranking second was Sweeney Chevrolet in Boardman with 102; third was Bob & Chuck Eddy Chrysler Dodge Jeep with 92 and Sweeney Buick GMC with 92; and Taylor Kia sold 86 new vehicles to round out the top five.

The top Trumbull County dealership for new car sales was Klaben Ford Lincoln of Warren, which sold 74 new cars, a 61 percent increase from the 46 it sold last year at this time. Second was Sims Buick GMC Nissan with 60, and Diane Sauer Chevrolet sold 54.

Used car sales did not fare as well in the three-county market with sales dropping by 67, or 2.2 percent.

Austintown's Greenwood led sales for used cars at 125, down 3 sales from last year. Taylor Kia sold 89 used cars and Fairway Ford sold 72.

Diane Sauer sold the most used cars of all Trumbull County dealerships at 49.